Battery Tender recommendation
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 1,213
I have an older version of this C-Tek.
This Popular Mechanics article mentions several. I've heard others mention the Noco brand they rated highly.
This Popular Mechanics article mentions several. I've heard others mention the Noco brand they rated highly.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,667
Get the Tender jr. Ive got 2 of them, and never had any issue. Some say the regular Tender. But if there is some sort of problem, it puts out more amperage than the jr., so it could conceivably cook a battery.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I also highly recommend looking at CTEK. I have two of them and they work excellent! They are a smart charger that charges and maintains the battery. If you have or may use an AGM Battery, make sure that you get a model that has an AGM feature. They are a little pricy but well worth the expense!
Amazon has tons of accessories for them. Make sure that you get the cigarette/cigar lighter adaptor so you can just pop it into the lighter port and charge the battery from there. Its really handy.
I also got the little rubber protector that fits around the charger.
Bill
Amazon has tons of accessories for them. Make sure that you get the cigarette/cigar lighter adaptor so you can just pop it into the lighter port and charge the battery from there. Its really handy.
I also got the little rubber protector that fits around the charger.
Bill
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 420
From: Taildragers rule! USA1
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 1,213
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Ide get one of these:
CTEK MUS 4.3 TEST&CHARGE – smartercharger.com
or
CTEK MXS 5.0 – smartercharger.com
CTEK MUS 4.3 TEST&CHARGE – smartercharger.com
or
CTEK MXS 5.0 – smartercharger.com
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 3,211
Likes: 167
From: Rochester Hills Michigan
The CTEKs are nice but I have had great luck charging my Red Tops with just a basic smart charger. No issues - weeks or just day charging. 4 years now. I just took my Red Top out to use for basement inverter after 5.5 years just due to age. I charge my dirt bikes also with this.
Foval Automatic Trickle Battery Charger 12V 1000mA Smart Battery Charger
Foval Automatic Trickle Battery Charger 12V 1000mA Smart Battery Charger
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,049
Likes: 316
From: USA
I'm a little late to this thread but here's my experience.
Bought a Ctek 4.3a unit several years ago based on recommendations on here. Worked well and I liked the automated modes/tender features. I notice it ran pretty hot when actually charging the battery and one day it was very hot and then never worked again.
Bought a Noco 10 amp tender with similar features. So far so good and it runs much cooler. Time will tell for longevity.
Bought a Ctek 4.3a unit several years ago based on recommendations on here. Worked well and I liked the automated modes/tender features. I notice it ran pretty hot when actually charging the battery and one day it was very hot and then never worked again.
Bought a Noco 10 amp tender with similar features. So far so good and it runs much cooler. Time will tell for longevity.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 110
From: Switzerland
if somebody wants to spend $150 on a charger (while a battery costs less than $100) its fine with me. i would, however, like to point out this:
those "electronic" chargers will (often/sometimes?) not work on a battery with a low charge. e.g. if battery is under 6-7 volts they will recognize it as a 6-volt battery. i remember about 3 years ago i had a car at the local garage to do some minor work on and they accidentaly discharged the battery. they said (in good faith) it had died, thats what their "professional" charger showed and it would not charge it. well it took the car home, charged it with a conventional charger and its still in service today.
but i wonder if conventional chargers can still be bought today at all.
those "electronic" chargers will (often/sometimes?) not work on a battery with a low charge. e.g. if battery is under 6-7 volts they will recognize it as a 6-volt battery. i remember about 3 years ago i had a car at the local garage to do some minor work on and they accidentaly discharged the battery. they said (in good faith) it had died, thats what their "professional" charger showed and it would not charge it. well it took the car home, charged it with a conventional charger and its still in service today.
but i wonder if conventional chargers can still be bought today at all.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 420
From: Taildragers rule! USA1
Right now Northern Tool has the Battery Minder on sale for $20. They are excellent, and after a 1 amp charge, they de-sulfate. You can leave them on 24/7/365
https://www.northerntool.com/product...12117tc-167981
https://www.northerntool.com/product...12117tc-167981
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 110
From: Switzerland
Right now Northern Tool has the Battery Minder on sale for $20. They are excellent, and after a 1 amp charge, they de-sulfate. You can leave them on 24/7/365
https://www.northerntool.com/product...12117tc-167981
https://www.northerntool.com/product...12117tc-167981
as to batteries for the ls1 and ls7, i got two of these last time. i use the larger ones where they fit (like my amg or jeeps). you dont need a fancy batter if you have a fancy car, even if it has 1000hp. i wisened up to the cheapest batteries out there many years ago. they last as long as expesive ones. i remember about 10 years ago i wanted to give it a try and got a varta for $200 (with a big dicount, priced at probably $250+). it died after 2 years and one month exactly after the 2 year warranty expired. these f... calcium batteries dont last, its a shame you can (almost) not get the classical antimon technology anymore. maybe when the smart phone will be able to fill up your battery it will see a revival?
Autobatterie 65Ah 12V WINTER ersetzt 55Ah 60Ah 61Ah 62Ah 63Ah 64Ah | eBay
EXAKT Autobatterie 12V 85Ah Starter Batterie WARTUNGSFREI statt 74Ah 77Ah 80Ah | eBay
Last edited by romandian; Nov 3, 2023 at 01:58 AM.
Uneducated autodidact
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 5,413
Likes: 252
From: West of the Sabine, Texas
So, are battery tenders (plus, junior) suitable for AGM batteries or can they damage them (in member's experience). I have asked this question of Deltran but haven't gotten a reply.